Anfield Corner | Wednesday 28 October 2026 | 20:00 GMT

Carabao Cup fourth round | Anfield

Liverpool welcome Chelsea to Anfield on Wednesday night with a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on the line. The Reds have found their rhythm under Andoni Iraola and should approach this heavyweight tie with confidence, although the visitors arrive with two familiar figures guaranteed to dominate the build-up: former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso and ex-captain Jordan Henderson.

Alonso returns — but sentiment can wait

Xabi Alonso will always have a special place in Liverpool history. The Spaniard made 210 appearances during five years on Merseyside, won three major honours and scored the equaliser in the unforgettable 2005 Champions League final. He should receive the warm welcome his contribution deserves before kick-off.

Once the whistle blows, however, nostalgia must give way to the job at hand. Alonso is now trying to build a new Chelsea side, and the Blues arrive after a flat 2–0 home defeat by Tottenham. His two previous managerial trips to Anfield ended in 4–0 and 1–0 defeats with Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid respectively. The Kop will hope his first visit in Chelsea blue follows the same pattern.

A strange return for Jordan Henderson

The sight of Jordan Henderson in a Chelsea shirt at Anfield will take some getting used to. Liverpool’s former captain made 492 appearances for the club and lifted both the Champions League and the Premier League during one of the greatest periods in the Reds’ modern history. Whatever supporters think of the career choices that followed, his contribution to Liverpool cannot be erased.

Henderson has already shown that he can still influence games, scoring twice and providing an assist in Chelsea’s 5–1 win over Bournemouth. Yet after completing 90 minutes in each of their last three matches, the 36-year-old may be rested in favour of Romeo Lavia. If he does feature, expect a mixture of appreciation for the past and fierce backing for the players wearing red now.

Team news: opportunities for the Reds

Liverpool

Iraola has promised changes, which is understandable after a demanding run of fixtures. Florian Wirtz is expected to be available following the ankle knock he suffered against Brighton, although Dominik Szoboszlai and Víctor Muñoz remain doubtful.

Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are still out. That should create opportunities for Giorgi Mamardashvili, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, James McConnell and Lewis Koumas. Rotation is inevitable, but Iraola must retain enough experience and attacking threat to ensure Liverpool do not surrender the initiative at home.

Chelsea

Chelsea travel without suspended playmaker Cole Palmer, while João Pedro has been ruled out for several weeks with a thigh injury. Captain Reece James and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez are also sidelined following surgery, Jamie Gittens is unavailable and Pep Chavarría remains a doubt.

Danny Welbeck and Estevão could start, with Morgan Rogers likely to return to an attacking midfield role and Mike Penders expected to continue in goal. Moisés Caicedo should provide steel in midfield, although Henderson may be replaced by Lavia after a heavy recent workload. Chelsea still possess dangerous individuals, but these absences give Liverpool every reason to play on the front foot.

How Liverpool can win it

Four consecutive victories have transformed the mood around Liverpool, with Sunday’s 2–0 win over Brighton offering further evidence that Iraola’s ideas are taking hold. Chelsea, by contrast, have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five league matches. The Reds should respect the visitors’ quality without allowing their reputation to dictate the contest.

The clearest route to victory is an aggressive start. Liverpool must press Penders and Chelsea’s back line, force rushed passes and attack the space behind the wing-backs. If the Reds move the ball quickly and keep Anfield engaged, a Chelsea side missing Palmer and João Pedro could struggle to establish control. The balance will be crucial: Liverpool cannot let enthusiasm turn into the sort of open contest that suits Chelsea’s counter-attacking talent.

Three keys for Liverpool

• Set the tempo early: press Chelsea’s build-up and make their young goalkeeper feel the pressure of the Kop.
• Have enough pace in the starting XI: rotation is sensible, but Liverpool need runners who can stretch Chelsea’s defence and threaten in transition.
• Win the midfield: stop Caicedo from controlling the game and make any Henderson homecoming an uncomfortable one.

Anfield Corner verdict

This is a difficult fourth-round draw, but Liverpool could hardly enter it in better spirits. Home advantage, stronger recent form and Chelsea’s absences give the Reds a narrow edge. Alonso and Henderson deserve recognition for their Anfield histories; the best tribute Liverpool can pay them is to make sure their return ends at the fourth-round stage.

Prediction: Liverpool 2–1 Chelsea.